Flat Warts Overview

Although flat warts are inconvenient, most of them will go away on their own as the body's immune system targets the virus that causes them. This can takes months to several years. Treating individual warts does not prevent new ones from occurring if the virus is still active in the body. So, if the warts aren't causing you any pain and they're not spreading, it may be best to leave them alone.

Using over-the-counter wart treatments, such as products that contain salicylic acid, may be somewhat effective at removing individual warts. These products dissolve the epidermis, or the top layer of skin, and when they're used consistently over a long period of time can successfully remove the infected skin. Before applying the medicine, it's a good idea to soak the warts in warm water and scrub them with a pumice stone. This process removes the dead skin and allows the medication to make contact with the wart [source: VisualDx Health].

However, if you have flat warts on your face or if the warts begin to spread quickly, consult a doctor. Doctors have access to a larger variety of treatment options, including cryotherapy (freezing off the warts), immunotherapy medications and medications that are injected directly into the wart [source: Cleveland Clinic].

If you have flat warts, hopefully you've learned a few ways to prevent them and treat them. If they're still not on their way out of your life, follow the links below for more information.

Duct Tape: The Miracle Wart Remover

You may have heard that covering warts with duct tape can get rid of them. Evidence suggests that duct tape can be more effective than freezing warts [source: AAFP]. Some experts think that covering a wart with duct tape stimulates an immune system response from the body, eventually causing the wart to disappear. This method, like many wart treatments, can take weeks to show signs of success. During that time, the tape has to be left on nearly all the time and replaced quickly when it falls off [source: Medical News Today]. So, if you've decided to use duct tape to say goodbye to your flat warts, get used to living with both the duct tape and warts for a while.